Toy football dummy



Sept. 21, 1948. I M. J GILMAN 2,449,935

TOY FOOTBALL DUMMY Filed Dec. 10, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MAE)? Joly/v GMMAA/ Sept. 21, 1948.

Filed Dec. 10, 1947 M. J. GlLMAN 2,449,935

TOY FOOTBALL DUMMY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MAeT/A/ Jaew 6/4444 Patented Sept. 21,

Nl'rao s'rA'ras PATENT caries TOY FOOTBALL DUMMY Martin John Gilman, Gllman, Conn.

Application December 10, 1947, Serial No. 790,867

4 Claims. (Cl. 273-55) The present invention relates to athletic training devices in the form of a toy suitable for use by youngsters from the age of four to nine years old. More particularly, the invention relates to a. football dummy for use by youngsters, not only to awaken their interest in football as a future sport but also as a device for improving their physical condition.

Heretofore,'football dummies have been built to meet the requirements of boys from the age of ten upwards to the professional football players. Football dummies are generally classified as the standing, suspended and the self-erecting type. The standing type of football dummy is supported by another player in an erect or standing position and may be moved from one position to another by said player in the course of the training exercise. An example of this type of dummy isshown in my Patent No. 2,203,259, issued June 4, 1940. The suspended type of football dummy requires an elaborate framework to support the dummy. The present invention relates to football dummies of the self-erectin type to be described in detail below.

Football dummies of the self-erecting type are shown in my prior Patents No. 2,037,508, issued April 14, 1936, and No. 2,237,599, issued April 8, 1941. In the first patent mentioned a heavy grey iron casting and packing are necessary to make the dummy pick itself up into an erect position. In the latter patent over ninety pounds of ballast are required to make the dummy selferecting. Thus. a dummy constructed in accordance with the teachings of these patents while well adapted to accomplish the functions for which they are made, would be unsafe for younger children and could hardly be designated as a safe toy even though made of much smaller size.

The present invention contemplates a football dummy of the self-erecting type which is of relatively large size and of light weight. I accomplish these results by forming the .dummy of an nflatable casing of relatively large size with a ballast container so positioned within the base of the casing as to cause the casing to assume an erect position with as little as five pounds of ballast within the ballast container. The entire toy, even though approximating the size of conventional dummies, weighs in the neighborhood of seven pounds.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a football dummy of the self-erecting invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

. Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the dummy forming the subject matter of the pres ent invention. 4

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the upper part of the dummy. 4

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view through the base of the dummy showing the ballast container in detail.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the football dummy shown comprisesthree main parts. The body portion, indicated by the numeral Ill, is of substantially frustro-conical shape. A rounded base portion II is suitably joined to the base portion. The top portion l2 comprises a cover for the body portion and includes an inflatable ring member generally indicated by the numeral l3.

The material of which the toy is made, may be of any desirable flexible material such as rubber, cloth or the like but is preferably constructed of a vinyl plastic. The use of this material not only produces an attractive toy, but lends itself to simplicity in manufacture, since the various parts of the device can be joined together by heat sealing the adjacent edges of the parts. This not only insures a leakproof casing but also el minates unsightly edges.

The body portion ill of the dummy is formed of a plurality of sectors i4. As shown in Figure 4, there are six of these sectors but it is clear type which is exceedingly light in weight and adapted for children of grammar school age.

that any number of sectors may be used. The sectors are so shaped that when they are joined together, they form a body of frustro-conicai shape.

The bottom ll, comprises a circular sheet of vinyl plastic which is joined to the body portion by a heat sealing operation forming seam ll, resulting in a rounded base for the toy when inflated. The ballast container, shown in detail in Figure 5, is formed of the same plastic material and comprises a circular bottom wall It, a circular top wall II and a continuous side wall ll. The three walls are joined to each other by a heat sealing operation to form seams l2 and 20, completing the closed container. The ballast container thus formed is secured or Joined to the base member centrally thereof by a heat sealing operation forming a circular seam 2| between the outer lower edge of the container and the bottom.

The upper wall I! of the ballast container is provided with an opening 22, surrounded by an upstanding tubular member 23'. This tubular member is used for filling the ballast container with sand 24. The tube is approximately one inch in diameter to facilitate the entrance of the sand. After the filling operation, the upper edge of the tube is brought together and sealed in a straight line 25 by a heat sealing operation.

As clearly shown in Figure 3, the upper end of the body portion is closed by the top portion l2. The top portion consists of two circular sheets 26 and 21 heat sealed at their marginal edges at 28 to form a hollow enclosed top member. The two sheets are further joined together in a circular line spaced inwardly of their outer edge at 29 to form a hollow ring-like member I! and a body covering portion 30, the body covering portion being formed of two thicknesses of material. The ring member I3 is provided with a conventional air valve for inflating the ring member, and a similar valve 22 is provided at the center of the body covering portion 20 to inflate the body 4 of the toy. Both valves are of the flush type and will not contact the user.

From the foregoing description, it is readily I apparent that the present device is well adapted to carry out the objects of the invention. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that minor changes may be made in the construction and shape of the device without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An inflatable toy simulating a football du-mmy comprising a body portion of substantially frusto-conical shape, having a. rounded bottom, said body portion formed of inflatable material, weighted means connected to and following the contour of the rounded bottom for normally maintaining the body in an upright position.

2. A toy in accordance with claim 1, and an inflatable ring portion forming a part of the top portion.

3. A toy in accordance with claim 1, said weighted means comprising a ballast container connected to the bottom on the interior thereof.

4. A toy in accordance with claim 1, said I weighted means comprising a ballast container secured to the upper surface of the bottom.

MARTIN JOHN GIIMAN.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Gilman Apr. 8, 1941 Number 2,237,599 

